One of the first and best story’s in the bible that best illustrate the first part of the bridal imagery is found in Gen 24. In that passage Abraham sends his servant to the land of his kin to find a wife for his son Isaac. Now if the servant could not find a wife, he would be freed from this oath.
The first thing we said about the Jewish marriage customs is that the Father chooses the bride. However as we see in Gen 24 that sometimes this does not always mean that it was a certain woman that was picked, in fact sometimes as is this chapter it was a woman of a certain place or region.
There is a idea out in Christianity that God chooses some to be saved. This idea is called Calvinism or Predestination. So did God predestine some to be saved, while others were not chosen? I don’t believe so, and I believe Gen 24 is a type that we can look to as we go through the bridal imagery and try to understand how God choose a bride for His Son.
As you read Gen 24 we find that Abraham sent his servant to go and find a bride from the land of his kin. I believe this will help us understand a bit more about how God choose his Bride. Abraham desired to find someone from a certain destination or location. God did not choose one person to be saved while not calling someone else. We read in John 3:16 His destination….”For God so Loved the WORLD”…there is the destination there is the location. It was not that God choose a person to be saved, but rather God had a destination for where the Bride of Christ would come from. We find that it is not Gods will that anyone should perish (2 Peter 3:9). It is not that God predestined some to be saved, while not willing to offer salvation to others. Salvation has appeared to all men : For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, - (Tit 2:11). God has given to every man a measure of faith by which one may have the opportunity to receive salvation (Rom 12: 3)
We also find in Gen 24 about this servant…now we know he was the eldest and that he was in charge of all that Abraham had. We should not look at this servant as just a common slave…but we see here he was a servant with authority. In the same way God sends us His Holy Spirit to come and seek a bride for His Son Jesus Christ. Notice that in the case of Abraham’s servant, finding a bride was the goal, but if he could not find one he would be freed from the oath. We know through scripture that the Holy Spirit was sent from the Father (John 15:26) (John 14:16). We know that the Holy Spirit reproves sinners of there sin (John 16:8), and with out this reprove it is impossible for a sinner to get saved(Rom 3:11).
We also know that the Holy Spirit can be resisted (Acts 7:51). Abraham sent his servant to find a willing bride for her husband. Abraham did not desire to find a slave, a robot, someone who had to come…but wanted to come out of their love (though she could not physically see Abraham’s son) for Abraham’s son. In the same way God does not wish for a robot, he dose not desire a devotion that is mandated, he desires a worship that is done out of love, a worship out of a desire to know him more…even though we too can not physically see Jesus Christ. And notice that Rebecka had the opportunity to say know, the choice was hers she could have said no to this marriage and that was her right to do so. In the same way each person has that opportunity to accept or deny Jesus Christ as there Lord and Savior.
Last thing I want to share with you is the message the servant gave to the family. In Gen 24: 34-36 we find the message that the servant gave to the family of Rebekah. The servant showed how the hand of God was on his master, how powerful he is, how rich Abraham was, He did this so that even though she could not see Isaac physically she could understand something about him. You know you and I are unable to understand God unless God himself through the Holy Spirit reveals it to us (Rom 3:11). However though we can not see Jesus physically, though we can not see Jesus with our eyes and put our fingers in His nail scared hands…we do have his word, His message, that we may understand more about who God is and what Jesus did on the Cross of Calvary for you and I.
If you have never accepted Jesus Christ, let me say that it is the most important step you will ever make in your entire life. The bible say that you are a sinner, that there is nothing in you that can make you able to stand justified before God (Rom 3:10)(Rom 3:23). Because of your sins there is a wage or a debt that you have, and that wage ultimately one day must be paid up. The bible says that the wage for your sins is death, eternal separation from God for all eternity in the lake of fire (Rom 6:23)…But Jesus Christ who is sinless who had no debt, died for your sins that you may be free from your debt, and have eternal life with Him. If you have not accepted Jesus Christ, you can today, by asking Jesus Christ into your heart and asking him to wash your sins clean….if you would like to know more how you can be saved,…how you can be apart of the Bride of Christ…please e-mail me at colvin5776@yahoo.com
